Fender shield and adapter



y 1941- A. P. FERGUESON 2,249,421 I SHIELD AND ADAPTER Filed Dec. 24, 1958 Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED TATES 7 FFICE a FENDER SHIELD ANDADAPTE Arthur P. Fergueson, Detroit, assignor to Houdaille-Hersh'ey Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan; j, Application December 24,1938; ,sefialnal'zizssz' l Claim. (c1. 280 153) This invention relates to fender shields, and more particularly to a'novel fendershield and adapter which will permit a normal size fender shield to be employed on a vehicle fender having an unusually large wheel access opening therein.

In the vehicle industry, and particularly in the automobile industry, various means have been utilized to improve the appearance of vehicle fenders. The usual vehicle fender is provided with an opening which .afiords access to the vehicle wheel, and which permits the ready removal of the wheel in an axial direction. 1 Since this opening inherently presents an uglyoutward appearance, detachable fender shieldshave been employed to substantially cover this opening. As the term fender shield shall hereinafter be employed, it refers to any member-which is adapted to be secured to a fender or other portion of a vehicle body for the purpose of covering the opening in the fender or vehicle body which is provided for access to or removal of a vehicle wheel.

In order to minimize manufacturing costs as much as possible and in order to keep the ultimate cost of the fender shields to the consumer as low as possible, every effort has been made in the design of fender shields to provide a standard type of shield which might be employed on a wide variety of difierent types of automobiles by simply changing the fittings and supporting brackets which are employed to detachably secure the fender shield to the fender. This enables all fender shields to be stamped in a single die press or groupof die presses and eliminates the need of providing separate dies which will provide fender shields of different sizes and shapes. While many dilferent automobiles as manufactured at the present time employ substantially the same size wheel access opening in their outer depending side wall, a. few types of automobiles employ a somewhat larger opening which prevents the standard size fender shield from being mounted thereon.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fender shield and adapter therefor which will accommodate a standard size fender shield to a vehicle fender having an unusually large wheel access opening therein.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel means for increasing the size of a fender shield.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a novel fender shield having an adapter thereon.

: Another'and further. object of this invention ;.'is. to provide a. fender. shield having an adjustengaging portiontherefor. A

.able molding along one edge thereof.

' The novelfeatureswhich I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim, My invention itself, however,.both as to, its organization and manner of, construction, together with further ,objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 isa front elevational View of a vehicle fender and fender shield assembly, the fender shield being equipped with an adapter; 3

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of a different embodiment of the present invention; and,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Figure 3.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, there is shown a fender l0 of the high crown type having a downwardly depending outer side wall H in which the usual wheel access opening [2 is provided. As shown in the drawing, the wheel access opening I2 is substantially semi-circular. Detachably secured to the fender I0 and disposed over the opening I2 is a fender shield l3. Insofar as the present invention is concerned, the fender shield l3 may assume a wide variety of shapes and configurations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be understood that the fender shield I3 is detachably mounted on the fender H in any suitable manner (not shown).

One of the principal features of the present invention is the provision of an adapter on a fender shield which will enable the fender shield to be disposed on a fender having an opening which is slightly too large, particularly in its vertical dimension for the standard size fender shield.

It will readily be apparent from an inspection of Figure 1 of the drawing that if one of the corners, such for example as the lower left hand corner 14, is raised, the top I 5 of the fender shield I3 is correspondingly raised. This raising of one corner of the fender shield, however, of the fender shield I3 is inturned to form a also causes the base edge iii of the fender shield flange 24. The adapter or molding 23 is provided l3 to be raised which prevents it from forming a with a flange portion 25 which is shaped and continuous line with the base edge I! of the fenarranged to overlap the flange 24.0f the fender der Ill. The result is that an unattractive asshield l3 and be seated on the outer edge 26 of sembly would be formed if the assembly were perthe fender shield l3. The adapter or molding mitted to remain in this condition. Accordingly, 23 is rivited or otherwise suitably secured to the an adapter l8, in the form of a molding strip is fender shield [3 as at 21.

secured to the lower edge of the fender shield The outer edge of the adapter or molding 23 I3 as at IS in such a manner that the lower'edge is inturned as at 28 and a cushioning bead 29 of the molding strip forms substantially a conhaving a channel shaped groove 30 therein is tinuous line with the base edge 11 of the fender arranged to extend ov r the intumed edge 28 of H1 and is in harmony therewith. The factthat the adapter or molding 23 and be secured therethe base edge 16 of the fender shield l3 is disto. The. cushioning strip 29 is formed of any posed at an angle with respect tothe baseedge 15 suitable cushioning material such as rubber and 20 of the molding or adapter [8 does not 'de; is arranged to engage the outer front face of tract in any way from the appearance of the the fender l0. As is shown in Figures 3 and 4 assembly, since the base edge I6 ofthe fender of the drawing, the fender I0 is illustrated as shield I3 is substantially concealed behindlthe beingof a type having a molding 3| extending molding strip l8. b around the opening defining edge [2, the molding Where the fender l0 and the vehicle upon 3!. also extendingialong the base edges. I! of the which the fender ID are mounted is equipped with fender I 0 asat 32 and 33. a molding strip 2|, as is frequently the case in While Lhaveshown particular embodiments modern automobile design practice; the molding L of my invention, it will, of course, be underoradapter IB may be conveniently designed toigg stoodthatLdo .not .wish to be limited thereto,

harmonize therewithand form substantially a since many modifications may be made, and I,

continuation thereof (see Figure 1). i therefore, contemplate by the appended claim to The memner in which the molding oradapter cover all suchmodifications .as fall within the I8 is secured to the lower edge of the fender true Spirit and SCODElOf y inventionshield I3 is preferably of such a character as to ilo ---I claimas my invention:

- providean adjustable fit.. This may-be conan article of manufacture, a fender shield veniently providedby providing a slot 22 in the for'disposition overthe wheel access opening of fender shield l3 which willpermit a limited dea -vehicle fender, said fender shield having a gree of vertical movement of the adapter or mold- I curved edge defined by a folded-back marginal ing l8. v 35 portion, a rigid fender adapter strip extending In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have ilaround-said curved edge ofsaid fender shield and lustrated a different embodiment-of the present seatedand secured thereon -and a cushioning invention wherein the fender-shield I3 is probeadmounted on the opposite edge of said vided with a molding strip or adapter 23 which adapter strip for engaging said fender when said extends around the curved edge. As may be seen-- fender shield I is in mounted position thereon. best in Figure 4 of the drawing, the curved edge ARTHUR P. FERGUESON. 

